Super Junior – ‘Devil’ Album Review

To commemorate their ten year anniversary, Super Junior released the special album Devil. I’ve been following Super Junior since their debut album Twins in 2005. It hadn’t occurred to me that a decade has flown by in a blink of an eye until the boys reminded me with Devil. I immediately start to reminisce the good old days when ‘U‘ and ‘Don’t Don‘ kept me company while no one else around me seemed to understand why a 13 member boy band is a good idea. In their defense, that was before kpop and hallyu swept the rest of the world. Naturally, I have high expectations of Devil and genuinely want the “elders” of the idol world to do well. Luckily, the boys did not disappoint and brought quite a few new tricks up their sleeves beyond their usual dance pop stuff. Devil is the most musically creative album from Super Junior yet and shows their maturity from having ten years under their belt.

Track 1 – Devil

The title song Devil is a well-rounded upbeat pop dance song with some hints of funk and disco at the same time. It’s immediately catchy with a more sexy and groovy tone of voice. Devil is also more dynamic and less repetitive compared to Super Junior’s usual lead singles. The different layers of beats, instruments, and vocal hooks like “ah ah ah ah” all add together to give the song more dimension.

Track 2 – Simply Beautiful

Coming off of the heels of Devil, Simply Beautiful starts with a seemingly promising percussion and organ-like combo beat. But as soon as the melody comes in, it’s one disappointment after another. The verse is sung quietly with a low voice, which doesn’t help make it stand out. Still worse is the chorus, which is particularly humdrum like a chant that would make you fall asleep. Simply Beautiful is simply flat and bland — one of the most boring Super Junior songs in recent memory.

Track 3 – 별이 뜬다 (Stars Appear…)

Soft acoustic guitar chords and light drum beats are the backbone of this standard rock ballad number. Stars Appear certainly sounds smooth and pleasant with the boys’ peaceful harmonies, but it’s similar to many other songs of this genre and not hugely memorable. The lyrics are touching though because Stars Appear is a tribute to those that have supported and helped them in the past ten years.

Track 4 – Good Love

Good Love is very festive and cheerful sounding track thanks to an excellent combination of acoustic guitar plucking, light percussion beats, and low ad lib voice samples in the background. The song is extremely similar to Blurred Lines by Pharrell, though the melody is different. It definitely stands out as an atypical kpop song and I really appreciate the happy energy it exudes.

Track 5 – We Can

The vocal subunit Super Junior K.R.Y. brings us another soft ballad tune primarily relying on steady piano chords and beautiful piano instrumental breaks to amplify the already emotional melody. The whole song, particularly the chorus, is very uplifting and touching. It reminds me of one of those public service advertisement songs about reuniting the world or saving hungry children. But in this case, We Can is about cherishing friendship. The boys’ harmonious and soothing vocals precisely convey how much they treasure the times they’ve spent together.

Track 6 – Don’t Wake Me Up

This time it’s subunit D&E‘s turn to present a mid-tempo acoustic guitar backed British pop rock song mixed with electro dance elements — something right up their ally. Don’t Wake Me Up has a very infectious melody that makes it easy to pick up and hum along. The faster rap and slower bridge sections help break up the tempo to make the track even more dynamic. I think Don’t Wake Me Up is one of the most memorable D&E songs.

Track 7 – 첫눈에 반했습니다 (Love At First Sight)

The trot subunit Super Junior T always knows how to have fun, so they get a bouncy and humorous indie acid pop number from Rose Motel. Love At First Sight begins with unplugged vocals, then immediately kicks into upbeat mode with drum beats and guitar. The overall music progression is very unexpected and full of flavor. This type of indie song doesn’t typically get associated with Super Junior, so it’s quite refreshing to hear it on their album.

Track 8 – 每天 (Forever With You)

Forever With You is momentous for the sheer fact that it’s the very first time that subunit Super Junior M is officially included on a Super Junior album. This fast-tempo mandopop number is a disco influenced dance song, more expected of Super Junior’s usual style. It’s a kickin’ track for sure, but less impressive on the creative front compared to other songs on this album.

Track 9 – Rock’n Shine!

After the subunit performances, the boys are reunited again in this hard-core power rock track. This music genre is no doubt a first for Super Junior — rare like a unicorn. Honestly, Rock’n Shine is a well written rock song with immense energy. But I felt the need to bump down the grade a bit because the boys lack the vocal power and rocker attitude to really channel the sprit of the song properly.

Track 10 – Alright

Last but not least is a bouncy and cheery song borrowing the happiness and chill attitude from its swing jazz tempo. Besides the easy on the ear melody, the most special thing about Alright is that all of the members’ names are wittily mentioned in the rap verse, making it the perfect ending song of an album dedicated to celebrating ten years of Super Junior.